Onalenna Khonkhobe eager to secure his second marathon title of the year

Earlier in 2014, Khonkhobe, representing the Nedbank Running Club, clinched the Two Oceans 56km ultra-marathon in Cape Town.

Now, he is focused on capturing the Soweto Marathon tile, set to take place on 3 November 2024, with a new route starting at Golden Highway and finishing at Nasrec.

Born in the North West Province, Khonkhobe has already triumphed in two half-marathons this year – The Dischem and Pirates 21.1km races.

He is eager to cap off his year with a victory in the Soweto Marathon, marking his debut in the race.

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As part of his preparations, Khonkhobe will compete in the Absa Run Your City 10km race in Tshwane on Sunday, as confirmed to SABC Sport.  

“I am truly honoured to have won the Two Oceans Marathon, and now I’m setting my sights on conquering the Soweto Marathon. I’m well-rested and excited to take on this new challenge. My goal is to finish in the top three, but if my competition falter, I’ll be aiming for the win. Last year’s champion, Ntsindso Mphakathi, told me that the route is tough, but I’m not letting that deter me. My ambition is to win both the Soweto and Two Oceans marathons in the same year, and I believe I can achieve it. This has been my best year yet, and my ultimate dream is to secure victory in the Soweto 42.2km marathon,” he shares with the national broadcaster.

Khonkhobe views ultra-marathons and standard marathons as quite similar, believing that success in both is largely a mental challenge.

“To me, there’s not much difference; it’s all in the mind,” he said.

“The Town Oceans and Soweto marathons differ by 14km, and I can perform well in both. My main difficulty was with the 10km races due to their fast pace from the start. I’m participating in the Absa race this weekend to work on my speed, but my primary focus is the Soweto Marathon later this year,” Khonkhobe added.